†Welcome to Holy Mass

at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church

Loughborough

A Quick Guide to what Happens at Holy Mass

†Welcome To Holy Mass

at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church

Loughborough

Are you about to attend a Catholic Mass for the first time?

Maybe you haven't been to Mass for a long time and can't remember what to do.

Maybe you go to Mass regularly, but you're not sure of what's going on or simply want to deepen your understanding.

Whatever the reason, it's wonderful that you're attending Mass, and to help you enjoy the Mass, without looking like you don't know

what you're doing, this guide has been written for you.

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Introduction

We can provide no better introduction to this little booklet than the words of the late Cardinal Hume. The Cardinal wrote:

“In the life of Catholics nothing is more important than the celebration of the Mass. The Mass is at the heart of our faith and is

the greatest gift we have been given. Through the Mass we are drawn into the very source of our hope and salvation - the life, death and

resurrection of Christ our Lord. In the Mass we are given a sure promise of our eternal happiness with God in heaven.”

The Cardinal went on to say that “the centrality of the Mass means that every Catholic should have a sound understanding of its meaning.” This is just what we hope to do here, ‘hope’ being the operative word. There is no assumption that these pages say it all; the final page will be written for each one of us when we meet our Saviour face to face in heaven.

The Old Testament is the history of the Jewish people and it tells us how God gradually revealed himself as the One True and Living God and it moved the Jews from paganism to belief in Himself. The Covenant He made with them promised that if they obeyed His laws and served Him, He would protect them and He promised to send a Messiah. Moses, through God’s inspiration, gave them the Law and the idea of offering sacrifice to God rather than to idols. Moses, sprinkling the blood of the sacrificed animals over the people, made the sign of this covenant between God and man made visible. Jesus told us at the Last Supper that His blood, which would be shed on Calvary, was the “Blood of the New Covenant”, a living sacrifice.

Jesus chose the time of the Passover to fulfil what he had announced at Capernaum: giving his disciples his Body and his Blood:

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Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us, that we may eat it…” They went… and prepared the Passover and when the hour came, he sat at the table, and the apostles with him, and he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you that I shall not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God,”… and he took the bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood.”

By celebrating the Last Supper with his apostles in the course of the Passover meal, Jesus gave the Jewish Passover its definitive meaning. Jesus’ passing over to his father by his death and resurrection, the new Passover, is anticipated in the Supper and celebrated in the Mass, which fulfils the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the Church in the glory of the Kingdom.

So to sum up – in celebrating Passover, the Jews were made present at Mount Sinai so as to commit themselves to the Covenant of Sinai by consuming the Passover lamb, In the Mass, the new People of God enter the Covenant of Calvary – made present on the altar, by consuming the sacrificed Paschal Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.

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The Building Blocks Of The MassIn this booklet we have attempted to avoid technical words as far as possible while trying to bring out the true meaning of the Mass. In this section we give you an overall plan of how the main parts of the Mass fit together.

The People Of God Assemble (Introductory Rite)

• The priest enters with his assistants.

• The priest greets us in the name of God.

• We express our sorrow for letting God down.

• We give praise and thanksgiving to God.

• The priest says an opening prayer.

Listening And Responding To God (Liturgy Of The Word)

• We listen to God’s dealings with the Jews before the birth of Jesus.

• We join in worship familiar to these ancient people by saying together one of their hymns.

• We listen to the teaching of one of the early Christian leaders.

• We sing Alleluia as we approach the high point of the readings.

• Now for the most important reading. The Gospel tells us the Good News about what Jesus did and who he is.

• The priest now reflects on the readings and shows us how we can apply them to ourselves.

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• In response to what God has said to us we affirm the main points of our belief.

• We offer our prayer requests to God.

We Offer Ourselves To God Through Jesus (The Liturgy Of The Eucharist)

• Bread and Wine are brought to the altar symbolising all food and all drink, the essentials of human life. We are offering ourselves to the service of God.

• The Priest offers a special prayer as a result of which Jesus has promised that he will come to us under the form of Bread and Wine.

• In this way our offering to God and the offering that Jesus made to his Father on the cross become one because it is the same person who is offered.

We Receive The Body And Blood Of Christ (Holy Communion)

• The priest breaks what we brought as bread and which is now the Body of Christ.

• Because the ancient Jews offered lambs to God we address Jesus as the Lamb. He is our gift from God and to God.

• We share in the Peace which only union with Christ can bring us, and in doing so, are aware that we can only approach him if we are at peace with our fellow Christians.

• Now that Jesus is present in such a visible way we join in the words that he gave us.

• By receiving the Body and Blood of Christ we are united with Jesus and with each other.

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Taking Jesus With Us As We Leave (Concluding Rite)

A short prayer is now said by the priest.

• He then blesses us and sends us out. This is not just sending us away until next time. It is saying, you have met Jesus today, now take him with you into the world of everyday life.

Practicalities

We have kept things short, but to make you fully aware of what's going on, many of the Priest’s words are given and ALL the words you'll have to say.

On the following pages we've used different text styles to differentiate between the words of the priest, the words spoken by the congregation, and the unspoken instructions and explanations which will guide you through the Mass.....

KEY

Words in ordinary print, like this, are said by the Priest or Reader.

Words in BOLD are said by the People.These are the spoken words of the Mass and are aligned to the left of the page to make them easier to pick out

➔ Words next to an arrow are instructions such as Stand, Sit, Kneel.Words like this, on a light grey background are short explanations or notes referring you to other parts of the booklet to be read after Mass.

These are indented to the right to differentiate them from the actual Mass.

† Make the sign of the cross

(See Do you know why we use signs at Mass? at the back of the booklet)

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The Order Of Holy Mass With Explanations

Part One -

The People Of God Assemble (Introductory Rite)

1.1 The Priest Enters With The Altar Party

A bell rings to signal the entrance of the altar party: the Priests, those who help him with the ceremonial (Servers) and those who read from the Bible and lead the prayers (Readers).

➔ We all stand. We all sing the opening hymn.As well as moving the Priest to the altar the procession represents the movement of our attention from our daily cares to what is about to happen. The hymn brings us together in our love and worship of God. (See Do you know who the people are who lead our worship? at the back of the booklet)

1.2 The Priest Greets Us In The Name Of God

➔ Make the sign of the cross as the Priest say and whenever you see the sign †.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and † of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

➔ Now the priest continues:The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

1.3 We Express Our Sorrow (Penitential Rite)

➔ Remain standingEven when we try to follow God’s way we find ourselves too weak to do so. Often we do not even try. This is why we need to say sorry before we can worship God and receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

➔ The Priest says this, or something similar:As we prepare to celebrate the mystery of Christ's love, let us acknowledge our failures and ask the Lord for pardon and strength.

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➔ After a short period of reflection one of the following is used:

Alternative 1

I confess to almighty God, and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have sinned through my own fault. in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done, and in what I have failed to do; * and I ask blessed Mary, ever virgin, all the angels and saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God. May almighty God have mercy on us, ** forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. Addressed to God the Father.

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy. Addressed to God the Son.

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. Addressed to God the Holy Spirit.

➔ * Some people strike their breast to express sorrow.

➔ ** Some people make the sign of the cross to express acceptance of God’s forgiveness.

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Alternative 2

Lord, we have sinned against you:

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. Lord, show us your mercy and love.

And grant us your salvation.May almighty God have mercy on us, ** forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

➔ ** Some people make the sign of the cross to express acceptance of God’s forgiveness.

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Alternative 3

You were sent to heal the contrite

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy. You came to call all sinners

Christ, have mercy.

Christ, have mercy. You plead for us at the right hand of the father

Lord, have mercy.

Lord, have mercy.May almighty God have mercy on us, ** forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.

Amen.

➔ ** Some people make the sign of the cross to express acceptance of God’s forgiveness.

Alternative 3

The priest sprinkles us with holy water to remind us of our forgiveness through Baptism.

➔ † Make the sign of the cross when sprinkled.

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1.4 We Give Praise And Thanksgiving To God (Gloria)

➔ We continue to stand.This is a very early Christian hymn, based on the rejoicing of the angels described by Saint Luke when they heard of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is a joyous hymn of praise to God as revealed in Jesus. It is sung on Sundays. One exception is the period leading up to Christmas when we awaiting the coming of the Lord. The other exception is the period leading up to Easter because then we are thinking of the suffering of Jesus.

Glory to God in the highest and peace to his people on earth. Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God, and Father, we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory. Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us; you are seated at the right hand of the Father: receive our prayer. For you alone are the holy One, you alone are the Lord, you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

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1.5 The Priest Says The Opening Prayer (Collect)

➔ We continue to stand.This prayer introduces the theme of the Mass for that particular day. It will end something like this:

We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever.

Amen.Or

Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

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Part Two -

Listening And Responding To God (Liturgy Of The Word)

2.1 The First Reading Is About How God Dealt With The Jewish People Long Before The Birth Of Jesus.

➔ Sit to listen to the first reading.This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

2.2 We Join In Worship Familiar To The Ancient Jewish People By Saying Together One Of Their Hymns (Psalm).

➔ Remain sitting.The reader will start with a few words which we repeat between verses. These words pick up on, or echo, the content of the verses. This echo is like a response which is why we refer to them as “Responses”.

➔ Join in the Responses between verses.

2.3 In The Second Reading We Listen To The Teaching Of One Of The Early Christian Leaders.

➔ Remain sitting.This is the Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

2.4 We Now Sing Alleluia In Praise Of God Who Is With Us.

➔ Stand and sing.We are almost at the point when Jesus himself appears in our series of readings.

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This is a joyful point and highlight of this whole Part 2 of the Mass. So, immediately before this we sing Alleluia (which means Praise the Lord) several times together followed by a verse normally taken from the Psalm or from the Gospel which you are about to hear.

2.5 The Good News About What Jesus Did And Who He Is.

➔ Stand.The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

A reading from the Holy Gospel ††† according to …

➔ At this point only, the sign of the cross is made three times: first on the forehead, then the lips and then the breast.

The word “Gospel” is the technical word for “Good News”. We have relegated all technical words to the back of the book but, because it is used by the Priest at this point we are telling you about this particular word here. For Christians the coming of Jesus is indeed summed up in the words “Good News”.

The special Sign of the Cross means that we take in the teaching of Jesus with our minds (forehead), we tell others about it (with our lips) and we treasure it in our hearts (the breast).

2.6 The Priest Now Reflects On The Readings And Shows Us How We Can Apply Them To Ourselves.

➔ Sit.

2.7 In Response To What God Has Done For Us We Affirm The Main Points Of Our Belief.(The Creed)

➔ Stand.In words which have been used since the early days of the Church we respond to all that we have just heard. In effect we are saying, yes, we believe that Jesus is God and the Saviour of mankind.

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We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, one in Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us men and for our salvation he came down for heaven:

➔ Bow during the words below in CAPITALS.We are showing reverence to God who has become man.

BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT HE WAS BORN OF THE VIRGIN MARY, AND BECAME MAN. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day he rose again in fulfilment of the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. With the Father and the Son he is worshipped and glorified. He has spoken through the Prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

2.8 We Offer Our Prayer Requests To God.

➔ Remain standingHaving acknowledged our dependence on God it is appropriate that we now address him with our requests for the needs of the Church, for the world, for the sick and for the fulfilment of his promise that those who die in the Faith will be with him for ever.

One of the prayers is usually the Hail Mary:

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.

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Part Three

We Offer Ourselves To God Through Jesus (The Liturgy Of The Eucharist)

3.1 Bread And Wine Are Brought To The Altar.

➔ Sit and sing the hymn.Up to now our emphasis has been on teaching and listening. The Priest has presided from his Chair which from ancient times has symbolised teaching authority. At the same time the place where the Bible is read and explained – the lectern – has played an important role. Now our attention moves to the altar: the place of sacrifice. (See Do you know what the Mass is really about? at the back of the booklet).

3.2 The Altar Is Prepared For The Offering.

The candles, which symbolise Jesus as the Light of the World, are moved from beside the book of Bible readings to be placed on the Altar. Bread and Wine are brought in procession from the back of the church. Symbolically the gifts are being taken from, and through his People, to be given back to God on his altar. The gifts are those specified by Jesus at the Last Supper. The Bread and Wine symbolise all that is necessary to keep us alive.

3.4 We Bless God For His Gift Of Life.

The pieces of bread we use look like flat discs. This is because no yeast is used in their production: they are unleavened. (See What is the connection between the Jewish Passover and the Mass? and Do you know the names of the things we use during Mass? at the back of the booklet.)

The Priest takes the bread, and prays:

➔ Remain seated.Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the bread of life.

Blessed be God for ever.The priest pours the wine and a little water into the cup (chalice) to recall what

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happened at the Crucifixion. A soldier stuck a spear into Jesus’ side causing blood and water to gush out. Jesus gives us new Life (through Baptism) at the cost of his Blood.

By the mystery of this water and wine may we come to share in the divinity of Christ, who humbled himself to share in our humanity.

He then hold the up the cup and prays:

Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation. Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink.

Blessed be God for ever.The wine is now placed near to the bread on the corporal.

The priest then says:

Lord God, we ask you to receive us and be pleased with the sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite hearts.

The priest now washes his hands with water, and quietly says:

Lord, wash away my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin.

➔ Stand.

3.5 We Pray That The Sacrifice Of Jesus Be An Acceptable Offering To God.

Then the priest says:

Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father.

May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and glory of his name, for our good, and the good of all his Church.

The sacrifice refers to Christ himself who was sacrificed on the Cross.

3.6 The Priest Prays Over The Gifts

The Priests prays that Jesus’ promise that he would be with us in, and through, these gifts should be fulfilled.

We ask this in the name of Jesus the Lord.

Amen.

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3.7 The Great Prayer Of Thanksgiving (Eucharistic Prayer)

The Priest now offers the most important prayer of the whole Mass during which Jesus fulfils his promise to come to us under the form of Bread and Wine and through which we participate in his sacrifice. We are called to put aside all our worries and fix our hearts and minds in heaven with our God.

The Priest may bless the gifts and the altar with incense. See Do you know the names of the things we use during Mass? at the back of the booklet.

➔ You should bow as the People are incensed by the server.

➔ Continue to stand.The Lord be with you.

And also with youLift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give him thanks and praise.The Priest now says the introductory part of this great prayer. It varies from day to day and refers to themes specific to the Church Season or to the Saint of the day.

When the Priest has finished we all sing:

➔ Continue to stand.Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

We have here two ancient hymns giving praise to God. The first part comes from the description of the angels in heaven praising God (Book of Revelation 4). The second part is found in the ancient hymnbook of the Jews – the Psalms – which Christians understand to refer to Jesus (Psalm 117).

➔ KneelTo kneel is to show adoration, repentance and submission to the will of God. This

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is the point at which the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Christ. If you are physically unable to kneel please sit reverently. Everyone else should KNEEL. It’s a matter of respect to the presence of God, not your own feelings. The main prayers which are used at this point on Sundays, in more or less detail, extol God’s holiness and lead onto the words Jesus used at the Last Supper:

3.8 The Change Of The Bread And Wine Into The Body And Blood Of Christ.

TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND EAT IT:

THIS IS MY BODY WHICH WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU.

TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT:

THIS IS THE CUP OF MY BLOOD,

THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND EVERLASTING COVENANT.

IT WILL BE SHED FOR YOU AND FOR ALL SO THAT SINS MAY BE FORGIVEN.

DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.

➔ Look at what the Priest is doing and listen to the words. A bell will be rung after each of the sentences quoted from Jesus. As the priest holds up the Body of Christ and then the Blood of Christ you should look in adoration. When the priest goes down on one knee to express his adoration you should bow your head.

The emphasis here is on reverence, holiness and belief. As far as belief is concerned, the raising up of the Body and Blood were introduced at this point to say to the people: here he is, look and adore. It is only after this elevation that we should turn our eyes down and remember our own lowliness.

3.9 We Acclaim Jesus Who Died And Rose Again For Us.

➔ Continue kneeling.

➔ Now we all sing one of the following:Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again.

or:

Dying you destroyed our death, rising you restored our life. Lord Jesus,

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come in glory.or:

When we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, Lord Jesus, until you come in glory.

or:

Lord, by your cross and resurrection you have set us free. You are the Saviour of the world.

➔ Continue kneeling.The great prayer continues. Listen to the words of the priest.

3.10 The Events Of The Past Become Our Present.

The prayer refers to the death, resurrection and victory of Christ. This is not just, or MAINLY, about the past. It is about the universal significance of these events and the presence with us now of the very person to whom we refer.

3.11 The Sacrificial Nature Of The Mass.

We do not kill anything but we do offer Jesus who has sacrificed himself. We associate our own offering – our lives – together with his offering – his life.

3.12 The Sacrifice On Earth And The Sacrifice In Heaven

What we offer on earth is of no value unless it is united to what is offered in heaven. For this reason the Priest prays that what we offer be united to the offering of Jesus to be presented to God the Father. According to which prayer the Priest uses, this may occur before the words of Jesus at the Last Supper or at this point. Most of the prayers call upon the Holy Spirit to bring about this unity.

3.13 Invocation Of Our Lady

The close link between Jesus and his Mother means that any vision of heaven includes the presence of our Blessed Lady. Not only is she there, we now call upon her in prayer.

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3.14 Invocation Of The Saints

We are all called to be saints. We are all called to share the life of heaven. The Church here on earth shares the benefits of our Lord’s sacrifice with those who have gone before us. We call upon them to pray for us.

3.15 Intercessions

Having entered into God’s presence, having given him thanks and praise, having shared that presence with our Lady and all the Saints we can now, and only now, ask for the needs of ourselves and for those who have died but not yet entered heaven.

3.16 A Hymn Of Praise

➔ StandThe Priest now finishes the prayer with what amounts to a hymn of praise to God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

➔ We all join in:Amen.

The “Great Amen” expresses the fullness of our joy in response to what has just taken place. Jesus has come into our presence under the forms of bread and wine and we have been brought into union with God through our Lord’s sacrifice. On Sundays that joy is made even clearer when we sing the Amen full-heartedly.

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Part Four

We Receive The Body And Blood Of Christ

(The Communion Rite)

4.1 The Lord’s Prayer

➔ Remain standingThis is the prayer that Jesus taught us to use. He said the only way to the Father is through him. So he instructed his disciples to pray the Our Father. We say the prayer also as children of God and acknowledging that the King has arrived on the altar. The Priest starts by saying the following, or similar, words:

Jesus taught us to call God our Father and so we have the courage to say:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Deliver us, Lord, from every evil, and grant us peace in our day. In your mercy keep us free from sin and protect us from all anxiety as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and for ever.

4.2 The Sign Of Peace.

➔ Remain standing.

➔ Shake hands with the people near to you when told to “offer the sign of Peace”.To be at peace with God is our highest our highest calling. This is not about quietness and inactivity. Nor is it the simple absence of trouble. It is about being fulfilled as a person. We are called upon to share that gift from God with our brothers and sisters in Christ. Here is also our last chance before receiving our Lord to make sure that we are at peace with our neighbours, friends, brothers, sisters, mother, father, husband and wife: in short; with everyone.

Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your apostles:

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I leave you peace, my peace I give you. Look not on our sins, but on the faith of your Church, and grant us the peace and unity of your kingdom where you live for ever and ever.

Amen. The peace of the Lord be with you always.

And also with you. Let us offer each other the sign of peace.

4.3 The Breaking Of Bread

➔ Remain standing and join in:Lamb of God,you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us. Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world: grant us peace.

In the ancient sacrifices lambs were the most widely used victims. Christians refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God because he is the true sacrifice.

As the “Lamb of God” is being said the priest breaks off a small piece of the Body of Christ imitating exactly what Jesus did at the Last Supper when he “broke the bread, and gave it to His disciples” and drops it into the chalice which contains the Blood of Christ saying, “ may this mingling of the body....” which now symbolises the Resurrection of our Lord as one Body.

May this mingling of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.

4.4 The Priest Prepares To Receive Our Lord.

➔ Remain standing.The priest now quietly says a special prayer for himself :

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, by the will of the Father and the work of the Holy Spirit your death brought life to the world. By your holy body and

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blood free me from all my sins and from every evil. Keep me faithful to your teaching, and never let me be parted from you.

4.5 The People Of God Receive Their Lord.

➔ Kneel.The priest kneels on one knee, and then holds up the broken pieces of Christ's Body, saying:

This is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Happy are those who are called to his supper.

Lord, I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.

The priest prays:

May the body of Christ bring me to everlasting life.

Then he eats the Body of Christ. Next he picks up the cup of Christ's Blood and prays:

May the blood of Christ bring me to everlasting life.

Then he drinks the Blood of Christ.

4.6 A Hymn Is Sung As The People Receive The Lord’s Body And Blood.

➔ Kneel in private prayer.

➔ Join the procession at the appropriate time.

PLEASE NOTE

➔ Only those Catholics who are communicants may receive the Body and Blood of Christ. In most cases this means that they have received “First Communion”. They must be free from grave sin and have refrained from eating for at least an hour before communion. If you do not fulfil these requirements, or are not sure, please refrain. Those who cannot, or do not wish to, receive communion are invited to come forward to receive a blessing. If you wish to receive a blessing please cross your arms to indicate your wish.

➔ Please wait patiently for your turn and avoid being distracted.

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➔ Our Lord’s Body is received either directly on the tongue or in the hand. Those who have received the Body may, but do not have to, receive the Blood since Jesus is fully present in both.

The Body of Christ.

Amen.The Blood of Christ.

Amen.

4.7 Afterwards, A Short Prayer Is Said By The Priest.

➔ StandAfter the final prayer the Priest may give out notices.

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Part Five

Taking Jesus With Us As We Leave

(Concluding Rite)

➔ Remain standing.This section is, by far, the shortest part of the Mass but it is very important. Do not rush away before the end. First the Priest gives us the Blessing in the name of God and the Church and then he says words to send us out into the world outside.

5.1 A Greeting.

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

5.2 The Blessing.

➔ Bow your head.

May almighty God bless you,† the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

We bow our heads to acknowledge our need for God’s blessing given, on his behalf, by the Priest. The words given here are those for as simple blessings. Longer forms are used on major feasts.

5.3 The Dismissal

➔ Remain standing.Go in the peace of Christ.

Thanks be to God.These are few words but they have immense significance. The Catholic Church believes they are so important that we refer to the whole service as the Mass, a word coming from Latin words meaning “dismissal”. The reason we think this is that the work of God only starts here. Having received Jesus we are to take him out with us into the everyday world. It is our joy, and our duty, to give witness to the

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presence of Jesus throughout our week wherever we are.

5.4 The Priest And His Assistants Process Out As A Hymn Is Sung.

The Mass ends at this point.

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DO YOU KNOW?

Do You Know What The Mass Is Really About?

The Mass is the means by which the Sacrifice of Jesus is made present in our day and through which we can associate ourselves with it. Catholics believe that the death of Jesus is a Sacrifice: an offering to his Father, a total commitment of his life for our benefit. We too need to commit our lives totally to God if we are to fulfill what we were created for: to know him, love him and serve him in this world, and to be happy with him for ever in the next.

But even the best of us is pulled in opposing directions. We want to be with God, but we also seek immediate pleasure or comfort. It is this pressure within us to ignore God and what is in our own best interest that we call sin. Under our own steam we, sometimes, get as far as good resolutions. We know what we should do, but we lack the strength to carry it through: we are defeated by sin.

At Mass our resolution to do the right thing is summed up in the bread and wine which we bring to God as an expression of ourselves and all our possessions. But our resolve is so compromised by the weakness of our nature that we fail to make a total and uncompromising commitment of our lives to God.

Following our Lord’s instruction, our devout but weak sacrifice is transformed into the perfect Sacrifice. Jesus cannot, of course, be offered if he is not present: hence our insistence on the changes of the bread and wine into his Body and Blood. We then take the Sacrificed Lord into ourselves in the act of Communion.

The Mass is truly the Sacrifice of our Lord. It is not a repetition of the Sacrifice, or another Sacrifice. It is the way in which we “plug into” the one Sacrifice completed on the Cross.

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What Is The Connection Between The Jewish Passover And The Mass?

The Passover meal begins with a ritual drinking of a cup of wine during which the significance of the day is proclaimed. During the course of the meal another three cups of wine are drunk. The wine is a symbol of God’s goodness and generosity. Then hands and food are ritually purified with water. Unleavened bread is broken to symbolise that it was prepared in haste whilst making their escape from the Egyptians. Questions are asked about the meaning of what is happening. The bread is blessed. Lamb is eaten as a reminder of the sacrificial offering which is acceptable to God.

At the Passover Meal which was Jesus’ Last Supper he gives us a deeper interpretation of sacrifice in general and the Passover meal in particular. We should not think that the Passover of the time of Jesus was a crudely historical celebration. The Jews understood that salvation was an ongoing spiritual connection to God. So, Jesus, did not give the meal a spiritual meaning but, rather, located that spiritual reality in his own Person rather than in the escape from Egypt. Jesus is defining his death as a Sacrifice and, hence, HE is the Lamb.

Do You Know Who The People Are Who Lead Our Worship?

Priest

The Priest presides over the whole service and offers the sacrifice (see separate item). He does much more than celebrate Mass, but what he does at Mass sums up his whole ministry.

Reader

The Priest chooses people to read the Bible accounts at Mass (except the Gospel), and to lead us in the general prayers.

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Servers

Servers help the Priest with the ceremonies and lead the congregation in the responses. They play a large role in preparing the altar.

Musicians

The organist and the choir lead us in singing and otherwise enliven the Mass with music.

Do You Know The Names Of The Things We Use During Mass?

Altar and associated objects

The altar is the single most important object in a Catholic church because it is the place where the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross is made really present to us in, and through, the Mass. Behind the main altar at St Mary’s is a holy shrine containing the Body of Christ. He is there for our adoration and to allow communion to be taken to the sick at any time. We call this the Tabernacle. A candle is kept burning perpetually to alert us to our Lord’s presence. Candles signify the eternal Light of Jesus in our lives. The Crucifix is a cross, with the representation of the crucified Jesus. It is a visual representation of how important this event is to Catholics: not just a death, but a sacrifice.

Among other things the Priest uses the following at the altar during Mass. A Corporal is a small piece of white cloth on which the bread and wine are placed. This action indicates that this particular bread is to become the Body of Christ and this particular wine is to become his Blood. Any other bread and wine , even if it were on the altar (which it shouldn’t be) remains unchanged. A Paten (a plate) and a Ciborium (a container) both hold the bread destined to become the Body of Christ. A Chalice is a cup to hold the wine destined to become the Blood of Christ. The Missal is the book containing the text of the Mass.

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What the Priest wears

In themselves clothes are just things worn to keep the body warm. However, we all know that certain clothes gain symbolic meanings. So, for instance we can identify a policeman, a fireman or, for that matter, a teenager from the clothes they wear. In the same way it is not essential for a priest to wear anything different to the rest of us in order to offer Mass. Not essential, but appropriate surely! The priest represents the presence of Jesus among us, especially at Mass. For this reason he wears special clothes which, collectively, are known as vestments.

There are three MAIN vestments worn by the Priest at Mass. The Alb is a white garment which covers the whole body down to the feet. Symbolically it represents purity and holiness, having been placed over the normal, black, priestly garb which symbolises the sin of the world. The Stole is a longish narrow piece of material hung from the neck. Symbolically it represents the burden Jesus has taken upon his shoulders in bringing us back to him. The Chasuble is an over-garment resembling a Mexican poncho. Symbolically it represents the seamless garment which Jesus wore as he went to his crucifixion.

The colours of the Chasuble and the Stole add further layers of symbolism. In the seasons leading up to Christmas (Advent) and Easter (Lent) the vestments are Purple. During the Christmas and Easter seasons White is used. Most of the rest of the time Green is used EXCEPT when it is a Feast of our Lord (White), his Mother (White), a Martyr (Red), an Apostle (Red) or any other Saint (White). At a Mass for the dead Purple is GENERALLY used.

The Priest’s Chair And The Lectern

From the start of the Mass until the altar is prepared the Priest presides from his Chair. This may well be an ordinary chair but it has symbolic significance. The Chair has been regarded as the place of teaching and leadership since ancient times. In this case it symbolises the Priest’s teaching authority in things relating to God as revealed in Jesus Christ. The lectern – the reading desk – from which the Bible is read, is closely related symbolically to the Chair. Even when people other than the Priest do some

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of the readings, they do so by his authority.

Holy Water

This is to be found near the external doors of the church and has been blessed to remind us of our baptism. Baptism is the way in which we entered the Church community and became united to God as revealed in Jesus Christ. It is our custom to dip a finger in the water and make the sign of the cross (see separate item).

Incense

Incense is sometimes used on major occasions. From ancient times incense was used as a sign of honour for important people as well as an offering during sacrifices. The Catholic use combines these two elements since the Person and the Sacrifice we offer are one – Jesus Christ.

Do You Know Why We Use Signs At Mass?

Body Language has become a common phrase meaning that we can understand as much about a person by how he or she reacts physically as we can by what is said. Catholics have always been into this in a big way. The following are examples. We stand to pray. We sit to listen. We bow, kneel or genuflect to give reverence and respect. To genuflect is to go down, briefly, on one knee. Typically, we bow to an altar, a crucifix or a Priest. We kneel while the Priest prays that the Bread and Wine may become the Body and Blood of Christ. We genuflect when, if we stationary, we would kneel. So, when we are moving to or from our seats and we pass the Tabernacle containing the Body of our Lord we go down on one knee.

We make the sign of the cross to recall that Jesus died on the cross FOR EACH ONE OF US. The gesture is often, also, associated with recalling that God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is done by placing a finger tip on the forehead and drawing an imaginary line vertically down the body followed by another line from the left to the right shoulder. In this booklet the sign of he cross is indicated in this way †.

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Do You Know That The Mass Has Several Names?

Names for the Mass

The most widely used name for the service we have described in this booklet is the Mass. This comes from the Latin words for dismissal used at the end of the service. This sending out is very significant. We are sent to carry Jesus with us wherever we go which is the ultimate meaning of the whole service. That is why the word Mass is used to describe the whole series of actions and words ending with us taking Jesus out to others.

Another widely used term is the Eucharist. This comes from a Greek word mean thanksgiving. Among Catholics it can apply to the whole service; to the part where the Priest blesses the Bread and Wine; or simply to the Body and Blood of Christ. Sometimes you will hear the terms the Blessed Sacrament or the Sacrament of the Altar. A sacrament is something physical which conveys something spiritual. The Mass is the sacrament most associated with the Altar and with sacrifice. This is why you may also hear the terms the Holy Sacrifice and the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Our advice is that you stick to the word Mass but be aware of these other terms when they crop up.

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Do You Know What The Parts Of The Mass Are Called?

In the main part of the booklet we have avoided the use of technical names to describe the parts of the Mass. But you will come across them the moment you open a standard Mass book. So here they are for your future information:

1. Introductory Rites: the initial assembling of the People. The word rite is used a lot. It means: a series of religious action performed in a specific order.

2. Penitential Rite: an act of sorrow and regret for having done wrong.

3. Kyries: a Greek word meaning Lord as in Lord have mercy.

4. Gloria: The first Latin word in the hymn – Glory to God in the highest. It is used as a title for the whole hymn.

5. Liturgy: a public religious act. The Liturgy of the Word is where we listen to God; the Liturgy of the Eucharist is where the sacrifice of Jesus is offered.

6. Gospel: the Good News about Jesus Christ, especially in its written form.

7. Creed: a profession of faith.

8. Eucharistic Prayer: the great prayer which is central to the Mass.

9. Preface: the first part of the Eucharistic Prayer which varies according to the Church Season or the Saint of the day.

10. Agnus Dei: Lamb of God.

11. (Holy) Communion: the reception of the Body and Blood of Christ.

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Prayer Before Mass

Lord Almighty, send down upon this sacrifice your Holy Spirit. May he declare this bread that we shall eat to be the Body of Christ, and this cup that we shall drink to be the Blood of Christ. May he strengthen and sanctify us who eat this bread and drink this cup, grant forgiveness of our sins and deliver us from the wiles of the devil. May he fill us with his presence and make us worthy of Christ, your Son, and obtain for us eternal life. Amen.

Prayer After Mass

Soul of Christ, sanctify me, Body of Christ save me, Blood of Christ, inebriate me. Water from the side of Christ, wash me, Passion of Christ, strengthen me. Within your wounds hide me. Let me not be separated from you. From the malicious enemy defend me. In the hour of my death call me and bid me to come to you, that with your saints I may praise you for ever and ever. Amen.

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†Welcome to Holy Mass

at Saint Mary’s Catholic Church

Loughborough

Are you about to attend a Catholic Mass for the first time?

Maybe you haven't been to Mass for a long time and can't remember what to do.

Maybe you go to Mass regularly, but you're not sure of what's going on or simply want to deepen your understanding.

Whatever the reason, it's wonderful that you're attending Mass, and to help you enjoy the Mass, without looking like you don't know what you're doing, this guide has been written for you.

Saint Mary’s Catholic Church

97 Ashby Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE11 3AB

Tel: 01509 262123

www.stmarysloughborough.org.uk